TIL Desk/World/Beijing/ China’s imported goods and services are set to exceed USD 40 trillion in the next 15 years, President Xi Jinping pledged Monday as he kicked off a major import fair in which India and 80 other countries are participating.

An Indian delegation led by Commerce Secretary Anup Wadhawan is taking part the first China International Import Expo inaugurated in the eastern metropolis of Shanghai. A total of 81 countries are taking part in the fair and hoping to gain access to China’s tightly closed import market. China, the top global exporter, plans to become a major importer.

China’s imported goods and services are estimated to exceed USD 30 trillion and USD 10 trillion respectively in the next 15 years, Xi said in his inaugural address. “India has built a pavilion at the expo highlighting its focus areas of agricultural products, pharmaceuticals, information technology and tourism,” Prashant Lokhande, Counsellor Economic and Commerce of the Indian Embassy here said.